The present invention relates generally to media services, and more particularly, to methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing a navigational search structure for media content.
Delivering media content over a wide area data network is an increasingly popular method of transmitting audiovisual programs to viewers, enabling service providers to offer programming much more efficiently than in the case of traditional cable television systems.
Wide area data networks may be used to provide customers with broadcast television programs including those carried by over-the-air broadcast stations and cable TV channels. In addition, video-on-demand services are becoming popular with IP-based content delivery system customers. With the increasing popularity of these systems and the growing number of programming options available, navigating through the various content choices can become overwhelming. For example, users of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) devices oftentimes need to sift through a vast number of content choices, such as electronic programming guides (EPGs) that list perhaps hundreds of channels (broadcast, premium, on-demand), locally stored content (e.g., programs stored locally on the IPTV device), video gaming options, etc.
What is needed, therefore, is a way to provide a user with navigational search options for a variety of types of programming content.